Company registration in Rwanda for foreigners
A company in Kigali, run from Europe
We choose the structure, prepare your documents, register the company online with the Rwanda Development Board, and open the bank file. If you plan to invest, we apply for the investment certificate that unlocks reduced tax rates, permits and repatriation guarantees. Everything in English, with one adviser.
- Online registration, usually within six hours
- No trip needed to incorporate
- Fixed fee, agreed before we start
Five documents, one adviser, all in English.
Sources: Rwanda Development Board and Office of the Registrar General; PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, Rwanda (reviewed September 2026); National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, March 2026.
Before you decide
What people expect, and what the record shows
Most founders we speak to have never been to Rwanda. Their questions are reasonable. Here are the answers, each with its source.
“It will mean months of paperwork in person.”
Registration is online. RDB processes a complete application within six hours, charges no fee, and issues the tax number and social security registration with the company.
RDB · ORG
“I will not be able to get my money out.”
The Investment Code protects against expropriation without fair compensation and guarantees transfers in convertible currency. Dividends leave at 15%, or 7.5% to a UAE or Singapore parent under treaty.
EAC · PwC
“Nothing gets done without a bribe.”
Rwanda scored 58/100 in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2025, its best result. That is 41st of 182 countries worldwide and joint third in Africa.
Transparency Int’l
“I’ll need someone who speaks French.”
English is an official language, alongside Kinyarwanda, French and Swahili. Company documents, the registration portal and tax filings work in English.
Constitution
“Just getting in is a project.”
Since 1 January 2018, citizens of every country can get a visa on arrival without applying in advance. Registered investors apply for investor permits online through Irembo.
DGIE · RDB
Where you are coming from
Your home country changes three things
The Rwandan procedure is the same for every founder. What differs is how your documents are certified, how much tax Rwanda withholds on your dividend, and which rules your own country applies to a Rwandan subsidiary. We sort these out first.
| Shareholder resident in | Documents for Rwanda | Tax treaty with Rwanda | Dividend withholding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Legalisation through the Rwandan embassy; Germany objected to Rwanda’s accession to the Apostille Convention | None | 15% |
| Spain | Apostille from the Spanish authority, plus certified English translation | None | 15% |
| United Kingdom | Apostille from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; documents already in English | None | 15% |
| United Arab Emirates | Legalisation chain; the UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention | In force | 7.5% |
| Luxembourg | Apostille, plus certified translation of French or German originals | In force | 10% |
| Russia | Apostille, plus certified English translation of Russian originals | None | 15% |
| Kazakhstan | Apostille, plus certified English translation | None | 15% |
Sources: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, Rwanda, foreign tax relief and tax treaties and withholding taxes (reviewed September 2026), listing treaties with Barbados, Belgium, China, DR Congo, Jersey, Korea, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Morocco, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, Türkiye and the UAE; HCCH Apostille Convention status table (Rwanda: accession 6 October 2023, in force 5 June 2024); Netherlands Treaty Database, depositary record of Germany’s objection to Rwanda’s accession, 28 March 2024; MINAFFET, Rwanda and the Apostille Convention.
Legalise, do not apostille
Germany lodged an objection to Rwanda’s accession under Article 12 of the Apostille Convention on 28 March 2024, so the apostille does not operate between the two states. German notarial documents and commercial register extracts are legalised through the Rwandan embassy in Berlin. There is no tax treaty, so Rwanda withholds 15% on dividends to a German shareholder. Germany’s own controlled-company rules also look at the Rwandan rate when income is passive.
Apostille and translation
Spain and Rwanda are both parties to the Apostille Convention, with no objection between them. A Spanish notarial power of attorney or a registry certificate from the Registro Mercantil is apostilled and translated into English by a sworn translator. No treaty is in force, so the 15% domestic rate applies to dividends paid to Spain. Spanish residents also report the shares abroad under their own rules.
The shortest document trail
Companies House extracts and UK notarial acts are in English and are apostilled in London. The UK is a Commonwealth country, so British passport holders pay no visa fee on arrival. RwandAir flies direct between Kigali and London Heathrow. No treaty is in force, so dividends leave Rwanda at 15%.
Treaty rate, longer chain
The treaty brings dividend withholding down to 7.5%, and interest and royalties to 10%. The UAE has not joined the Apostille Convention, so a UAE trade licence or board resolution goes through a notary, UAE attestation and the Rwandan embassy accredited to the UAE. That chain often takes longer than the whole Rwandan filing.
The European treaty route
Luxembourg is the one EU state in the list of Rwandan treaties with a 10% rate on dividends, interest, royalties and management fees. A Luxembourg parent with real substance can reduce the cost of distributions. Documents are apostilled; French and German originals need a certified English translation.
Apostille, translation, due diligence
Both states are parties to the Apostille Convention and neither has a tax treaty with Rwanda, so dividends are withheld at 15%. Russian and Kazakh originals need certified English translations. Banks in Kigali run enhanced checks on source of funds and on sanctions exposure; we prepare that file before the bank asks.
The slowest part of most files is a single document from home: a German register extract waiting for embassy legalisation, or a UAE resolution waiting for attestation. We order those on day one, before anything is drafted in Kigali.
What the treaty does and does not do
A tax treaty lowers the rate Rwanda withholds. It does not remove tax in your own country. A German or Spanish shareholder who receives a dividend from Kigali will usually declare it at home and claim credit for the Rwandan tax, within the limits of domestic law. A holding in Luxembourg or the UAE only helps when it has its own substance and a business reason. Treaty access also has conditions on beneficial ownership, and a certificate of tax residence from your own authority is the usual evidence that you qualify.
Your own country may also apply controlled foreign company rules. Germany treats passive income taxed below 15% as low-taxed under its Foreign Tax Act. Spain compares the foreign tax with what Spanish tax would have been. Russia and Kazakhstan have their own regimes, with notification duties for the individual founder. A 28% Rwandan trading company rarely triggers them. A 3% holding may. We flag this before you choose a regime, and we work with your adviser at home where needed.
Sources: German Foreign Tax Act (AStG) § 8(5), low-taxation threshold of 15% from 2024; PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, Rwanda, withholding taxes (reviewed September 2026).
Business setup in Rwanda
Choose what you need. We quote a fixed fee
One contact for the whole setup, from the name check to the first tax return.
Private limited company
The standard Rwandan company for trading, services and regional operations. No minimum share capital.
How it works → IshamiBranch of a foreign company
Register your existing company in Rwanda, with notarised parent documents and a representative in Kigali.
How it works → Icyemezo cy’ishoramariInvestment certificate
The RDB certificate behind the 15%, 3% and 0% tax rates, free initial permits and facilitation with land and utilities.
How it works → UruhushyaWork & residence permits
Permits for the investor, directors and foreign staff, filed with the investment certificate where it applies.
How it works → Konti ya bankiCorporate bank account
Bank selection and the account file for a foreign-owned company, in Rwandan francs and US dollars.
How it works → Ishoramari mpuzamahangaHolding & regional HQ
Pure holding companies at 3%, regional offices of international companies at 0%, if the conditions are met.
How it works → UmusoroAccounting, tax & payroll
Monthly VAT and PAYE, RSSB contributions, advance tax instalments and the audited annual return.
How it works → ImpindukaChanges & closure
Director changes, share transfers, capital increases and an orderly liquidation when the time comes.
How it works →Structure finder
Four questions to a first answer
This is the logic we use on a first call, reduced to four questions. It points you to a structure; the quote then tests it against your documents, your tax position at home and your bank.
Thresholds: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, Rwanda, tax credits and incentives (reviewed September 2026); PwC Rwanda tax alert on Law N° 006/2021; Rwanda Development Board.
How it works
Four steps, in this order
The Rwandan side is fast. Most of the time goes into documents from your home country, so we start there.
- 1–2 days
Structure and quote
Company, branch or holding; whether an investment certificate pays off. You get a fixed fee in writing.
- 1–3 weeks, abroad
Documents from home
Passports, a power of attorney and, for a branch, notarised parent documents. We send templates and the checklist.
- About 6 hours
Registration at RDB
Online filing. The certificate, TIN and social security number are issued together.
- From 2 days
Bank, certificate, permits
Bank account opening, the investment certificate (USD 500 fee) and permits for you and your team.
Geography
Where business happens in Rwanda
Rwanda covers about 26,300 km², a little smaller than Belgium. Most foreign-owned companies register in the City of Kigali, Umujyi wa Kigali. Trade, tourism and energy pull activity towards the borders and Lake Kivu.
Sources: Government of Rwanda administrative structure; Rwanda Development Board; Rwanda Convention Bureau (ICCA 2024 ranking).
How the country is divided
Rwanda has five top-level units: the City of Kigali and four provinces, intara (province), named Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western. Each is split into districts, akarere (district); each district into sectors, umurenge (sector); then cells, akagari (cell), and villages, umudugudu (village). Your registered office is recorded down to this level, so the address on a lease must match the address on the company form.
Kigali’s three districts each have a street code. Gasabo uses KG, Nyarugenge KN and Kicukiro KK, so an address reads like “KG 7 Ave”. Land is identified separately by a UPI, the Unique Parcel Identifier on the land title. Banks and the tax office use both.
Rwanda is landlocked. It borders Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south and DR Congo to the west. For a trading company the choice of corridor sets freight time and cost, and membership of the East African Community since 2007 means one common external tariff across the region.
Calculator
What reaches you from a Rwandan profit
Corporate tax in Rwanda, then withholding tax on the dividend. Pick a regime and where the shareholder sits.
Dividend you receive
USD 0
Illustration only. The 15% and 3% rates need a registered investor and specific conditions; treaty rates need the treaty conditions to be met. Tax in the shareholder’s own country is not included. Rates: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, September 2026.
Structuring
Where the parent sits decides the dividend tax
Without a treaty, Rwanda withholds 15% on dividends paid abroad. Its treaties with the Gulf, Singapore and several European and African states bring that down to 7.5–10%.
For a founder from Europe, a holding in the UAE or Luxembourg can be the difference. We check the conditions on both sides before we recommend one.
Dividend withholding tax rates under Rwanda’s tax treaties. Source: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, Rwanda, withholding taxes (reviewed September 2026).
Tax at a glance
The numbers you will meet in the first year
| Tax | Rate | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate income tax | 28% | Standard rate. Annual return within three months of year-end, with audited accounts; advance payments in June, September and December. |
| Priority-sector investors | 15% | Registered investors in exports, energy, ICT, financial services, manufacturing, tourism and other listed sectors. |
| Holding companies | 3% | Pure holding companies, investment vehicles and collective investment schemes, under the Investment Code. |
| Regional headquarters | 0% | International companies with a regional office in Rwanda, subject to conditions. |
| VAT | 18% | Registration from RWF 20 million turnover a year, or RWF 5 million in a quarter. Exports are zero-rated. |
| Withholding tax | 15% | Dividends, interest, royalties and service fees paid abroad, unless a treaty reduces it. |
| Capital gains | 10% | Raised from 5% in May 2025. Listed shares and qualifying restructurings are exempt. |
| Pension (RSSB) | 6% + 6% | Employer and employee, for nationals and foreigners alike. Rises to 7% + 7% from January 2027. |
Sources: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, Rwanda (reviewed September 2026); EY Global Tax Alert, 16 June 2025.
Law index
The laws behind this page
Every number on this site comes from a statute, a regulation or a published official source. These are the texts we work from most often.
Sources: Official Gazette of the Republic of Rwanda; Office of the Registrar General; PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, Rwanda (reviewed September 2026); PKF East Africa (2025); HCCH status table.
The resident director requirement is the first real decision in every file. Settle it before the documents are signed, because the director’s consent and identity go into the registration itself.
Price your Rwandan contracts in francs from the start. Domestic transactions in foreign currency need central bank authorisation, and the fines are a share of the amount.
A Kigali company, filed in English, run from your desk in Europe.Voixa Rwanda
Glossary
The words on your documents
You will work in English. These are the names you will see on letters and stamps.
Questions
What founders ask first
Thirteen questions we hear in almost every first conversation, answered with the source behind each.
Can a foreigner own 100% of a Rwandan company?
Rwanda does not screen or restrict foreign investment by amount or sector at entry. Licensed activities, such as banking or mining, have their own rules; we check yours before we quote.
Do I have to travel to Rwanda?
Not to register the company. Registration is online and we file it under a power of attorney. Some banks ask to meet the owner once when opening the account; we plan that trip around a single day.
Do I need a local director?
Yes. Law N° 007/2021 governing companies requires at least one director who resides in Rwanda. We explain the options for meeting this before you pay.
Is there a minimum investment?
RDB sets no minimum capital for the investment registration certificate. The reduced tax rates have their own conditions, and an investment of USD 250,000 lets you hire three foreign employees without a labour-market test. We model your case in the quote.
How do I get money out of Rwanda?
Profits are distributed as dividends and taxed at 15% withholding, or less under a treaty. The Investment Code guarantees the transfer in convertible currency.
What does it cost?
Registration itself carries no government fee. Our fee is fixed and agreed in writing before we start. See pricing for packages and government fees.
Which countries have a tax treaty with Rwanda?
Treaties are in force with Barbados, Belgium, China, DR Congo, Jersey, Korea, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Morocco, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates. There is none with Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Russia or Kazakhstan, so dividends to shareholders there are withheld at 15%.
Will my apostille be accepted in Kigali?
Rwanda has applied the Apostille Convention since 5 June 2024. Germany objected to Rwanda’s accession, so German documents are legalised through the embassy instead. The UAE is not a party. The registry checklist still refers to notarised documents, so we confirm the accepted form for your country before you sign anything.
Can I invoice and pay in US dollars?
Domestic transactions in Rwanda are in Rwandan francs. Pricing in foreign currency needs central bank authorisation under BNR Regulation 42/2022 as amended in 2025. Cross-border payments and foreign currency accounts are allowed through authorised channels.
How quickly can I get a permit to live in Kigali?
Investor permits are applied for through Irembo with the registration certificate, the investment certificate, a police clearance no older than six months, a CV and an application letter. The first permit costs RWF 150,000 and runs up to two years.
Where should the company be registered?
Most foreign-owned companies use an address in Kigali, in Gasabo, Nyarugenge or Kicukiro. Manufacturers and logistics firms look at the Kigali Special Economic Zone. The registered address is recorded down to sector, cell and village.
Who files in Rwanda on my behalf?
Local filings in Kigali go through licensed partners in Rwanda, under a power of attorney you sign. Your adviser and your contract stay with Voixa Rwanda, and every document is shared with you before it is filed.
Does the company need an audit?
The corporate tax return is filed with audited financial statements, according to PwC’s summary of Rwandan practice. Whether your company also needs a statutory audit under the companies law depends on its profile; we confirm it for your company before the first year-end.